Who Said I Wanted To Be A Hero?
by Unknownmusic
Summary: Upon the entrance of a new generation of Teen Titans, new enemies and new allies usher in a new age of heroes in Jump City. But one particular boy who has been born into a legacy that many would beg for wants nothing more than to live a normal life and would give anything to achieve it. AU Next Gen Titans


******I do not own anything that will get me sued. **

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**Chapter 1**

The place wasn't too shabby he supposed. It was nowhere near as revolting as the taxi had been. At least here, there were no bits of old Chinese takeout stuck to the floor, nor sticky areas that stood as testimony to one too many drinks, or no smoking hack of a driver who belched on aimlessly about the next lottery number.

But to be honest, the apartment wasn't too much better.

Whoever had occupied the area before clearly had some sick interest in the color yellow and about as much taste in furniture as a wooden post. Apparently, roaches and other critters were also welcome guests judging by the sheer number he had already encountered. The fridge was completely dead, the bathroom faucet was clearly broken, mold was gradually creeping into damp corners, a rather thick layer of dust shrouded the surfaces, and there seemed to be a rather conspicuous hole in the ceiling. In short, Jasper found the place quite disgusting but this was all he could procure in the small time frame he had to prepare. It would take some time to fix the place up but he had every intention of making the place livable again.

He would be here for a while, after all.

~0~

The pizza store's owner barely lifted his head up from his work as the telltale chime of the bell indicated another customer. It was a testament, Jasper supposed, to the store's good business when a man did not fall hungrily on the prospect of another consumer. Perhaps it was a good thing the owner had no sense of urgency for his income considering Jasper hadn't entered to eat.

He settled into a casual stance just at the counter to wait for the man's attention. It wasn't a busy time of day so, slowly but surely, the man noticed Jasper's presence and straightened up from his stance before the oven to face the teen waiting on him.

"It's a bit late for lunch…or a bit early for dinner," the man grinned. "What can I do for you?"

Jasper smiled back. "Actually, I'm here for that notice you have up in front."

"Oh, noticed the sign, did you?" The man narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the boy in front of him. "But you do realize I only hire 18 or older…no point endangering youngsters and have their parents demand some money out of me."

"What?" Jasper said incredulously. "How hurt can you get delivering _pizza_?"

The man actually guffawed before chuckling, "You new here?"

That didn't bode well. "Yes. Just few here a few hours ago and living alone…I need the money for things outside of the scholarship funds."

"Well, did you read up on Jump City at all before coming?"

"…Yes. Why?"

The man raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "And…?"

"And what?"

There was full-blown surprise in the owner's face now. "And you read _nothing_ about our local residents?"

Oh. So that was what made the hob decidedly more perilous than it would have been elsewhere. Of course, Jasper now saw why the man had been so astonished by the lack of reaction. It wasn't everyday you just moved to a city where radioactive sludge monsters and teen superheroes thrived. All of the local terrorism from countless maniacs wishing to cause more pointless suffering n the world probably would pose a veritable threat to a delivery boy maneuvering a flimsy moped through the streets daily. An attack could occur at any moment anywhere. So, yes, it must appear strange that a normal civilian like himself had forgotten such a fact.

But then again, Jasper had long since grown accustomed to the strangest possibilities.

"I can still work," he replied steadfastly. "I can manage."

"But it's dangerous, young man…"

"And I can manage," Jasper repeated. "It can't possibly be any more dangerous than going about my normal life. Aren't I just as viable to get injured walking down the street?"

The man was still dubious. "But you're underage, kid. If you get hurt, it's on my head."

"Then don't let it be. If I get hurt I'll vouch you're free from any payment. Make it part of the contract I sign if you must."

Jasper could see the owner wavering. The teen could only hope the man was desperate enough to relent. All he needed was just one more incentive…

"I'll just do a couple of runs. If it doesn't sit well with you then I'll quit if you want."

That had done it. The man visibly gave in with a slackening of his stiff shoulders and he sighed, "Fine. Come back tomorrow 4 p.m. sharp."

~0~

Jasper could suddenly recognize why the pizza store's manager had been leery of hiring an underage boy. He had barely stepped out of the restaurant when a gigantic glob of green slime slapped him in the face and dyed his clothes a neon shade.

He glanced up from his attire in disgust and his lips curled derisively as the form of a radioactive monster went trudging by. Really, it was just his luck that his very first trip out of his new apartment had landed him a victim of a local monster's sludge.

People ran screaming by, desperately trying to avoid the monstrous form towering above them. Many had left their vehicles in the street and Jasper couldn't help but wonder how many times people had to do so in a city where something like this was normal.

Jasper jolted in surprise as another, smaller form went flying by less than a few inches away and he watched as the monster turned its attention to the flying blur.

It was a girl, a teenage one, who shot up and fired a barrage of azure energy bolts to deter her opponent. Her black hair soared behind her and sky-blue eyes occasionally shot beams at her target. There was a fierce, warlike furrow to her brow that portrayed her concentration but Jasper could see the almost feral glint of glee in her eyes – the glee of the hunt.

Soon enough, three other figures followed the girl and the scene disappeared out of view as the fight moved beyond the next corner.

Jasper shook off the gunk with distaste and began the long trek home with a sour taste in his mouth.

Heroes. What else were they really but mere celebrities? If heroes didn't exist, perhaps the villains wouldn't have as much motivation to begin. Jump City's local heroes, the Teen Titans were beloved and idolized to be sure, but the idea of the masked vigilante devoted to shielding the general public just disgusted Jasper. It was a declaration of superiority to be a hero, proclaiming that the people were incapable of protecting themselves. It was a foolish notion and just left society to grow complacent and dependent upon their fantasized saviors.

If it hadn't been for the full scholarship he had earned for the city's high school and subsequent university, Jasper doubted he would have taken a single step in to Jump City of his own free will.

Heroes were just people he had grown to know far too well.

~0~

The Titan Tower stood a generous distance from the city. Most presumed it to be made that way because it was a base for their heroes, a place meant to be unreachable by their enemies and the locals in general. IT certainly made sense to a degree when the Tower's place off the shores of Jump City gave them a wide vantage point to spot incoming intruders. The Obvious separation between the town and the Tower made their heroes all the more omnipotent.

But to the heroes themselves, the Tower was a place of refuge, a place away from a population so in awe of them. The Tower was a place they could be they could be themselves and a place to be free form he self-awareness, knowing how different they were. To the, the Tower was home.

The sleek automatic sliding doors to their massive living room abruptly slid open as a young man almost completely clothed in electronics of every imagination came jumping inside.

"That was easy!" he smirked. "Barely an exercise."

"You shouldn't get so cocky about it," sniffed a girl who followed him inside. Her ocean-blue hair and eyes sparkled with hidden mirth though and she couldn't quite help a small quirk of her mouth. "Now you've jinxed our luck."

"You shouldn't be so negative, Aqua," laughed another girl as she flew into the room, her hair just barely skimming the roof. "There is not just luck in our victories."

"She's right, you know." Neon suited the next young man far more than it did the monster they had fought not five minutes ago. "We can't let our guard down just because we're improving."

"Meh, you and Aqua are too uptight," muttering the first boy. "I bet even the first Titans didn't expect this."

"Take into account it's nearly Christmas," Aqua sniffed. "You know it's due to the treaty attacks have slowed down."

"Perhaps my parents will come to visit. I'm sure they're excited to see how we're doing," mused the floating girl. "Father is ever so worried about me all of the time."

Her parents had always been reluctant to release their daughter to her own devices in a world where danger was an inherent part of the job. But Nightfire, as her parents had named her, had a tendency to get what she wanted.

Techno and Aqua had similar problems. With the technology whiz and the virtual "super mermaid", their parents had worries of their own. It was only Toxic who escaped the wires of parental protectiveness in all of his neon glory.

"Speaking of visitors for Christmas," began Techno, "we have an incoming message from a certain couple in Africa."

All of them exchanged knowing glances before the tech genius called up the message on the big screen.

Immediately, there was a mass of dark green hair clouding the entire message before a mumbled "Darn, how do you straighten this?" and a great amount of shuffling revealed the face of Doctor Logan, better known as Changeling.

As awkward as ever, the green shape shifter appeared flustered and blankly asked, "How's Christmas?"

"Considering it's still three days away, I can't really say," grinned Toxic.

Changeling just turned a strange shade of red before another dark skinned hand wove its way into the video feed. Entrancing purple eyes and a predominant ruby jewel at the center of a slim forehead replaced green as Changeling spluttered in the background behind his wife.

"I'm sorry for his…silliness. We were fixing the feed, actually, and even I didn't expect him to fix it so quickly without asking Cyborg to fly half a world over."

Techno laughed. "I'm sure he would have come."

Purple eyes softened. "I'm sure too."

"Raven, why _have_ you been trying to contact us?" asked Toxic, ever the focused one. "Is there something wrong?"

The Great Demon's daughter pursed her lips in an uncharacteristic sign of anxiety.

"What is it?" asked Nightfire in concern. "As my parents' close friends I would be more than willing to help."

Raven briefly smiled at Nightfire before her face was grave again and she asked, "Have you seen a boy who looks very much like me?"

There was a moment of confusion. "Why? Should we have?" Aqua said with raised eyebrows.

"Your son?" Toxic asked. He had heard about Changeling's and Raven's son only sporadically in conversations before.

Raven nodded. "My son. He's…confused. Lost, you might say, on the road of life. It's not a surprise he is considering he has Changeling and me for parents. I'm not even sure if he's at Jump City and it is actually the last place he would ever go but I would appreciate it if you kept an eye out just in case."

"Do you want us to start a search for him?"

"No, don't," Raven immediately rejected. "It will only make him more cautious. I know him."

"Then…just keep watch?"

"Keep watch," the ex-Titan agreed. "A demon and Beast is bound to show itself eventually."

~0~

Jasper had to struggle not to suddenly break out in profane curses as yet another wave of terrified citizens pushed him back. He needed to make this delivery in _five minutes_ and considering he was still fifteen minutes away, he would have a few dollars off his paycheck. The idea of moped had seemed appealing enough at first but now he saw that no mode of transportation could possibly plow its way through a crowd like this.

It was the second monster Jasper had seen in his grand total of two days in Jump City and he was less than pleased with the results. Honestly, the thing was a good two streets away and people were _still _screaming their heads off. One would think citizens of this crazed town would be used to it by now.

Jasper finally gave up on making headway with his moped and dragged it to a side of the road where it would be least likely to be stolen or crushed. Free of the vehicle, he slung his pizza bag over his shoulder and began the arduous journey threading through the mass.

His first attempt only pushed him back further than before. By his second attempt he learned to keep low, always at the edges. By his third attempt he learned to flow through the cracks rather than push against the current and made it through the bulk of the people to a contrastingly deserted intersection.

Jasper sighed out in relief at finally escaping and almost cheerfully began to walk the rest of the six blocks over to the delivery location. Luckily he had looked up directions before coming else he would have been hopelessly lost.

He had only taken a single step before the building he was passing was suddenly crushed and the resounding crash of broken windows and falling plaster rendered his hearing to white noise. Jasper instinctively crouched low and covered his head from falling debris but he could hear the structure falling in upon itself and knew that if he didn't move now, he would be more likely to get hurt. So he swiftly stood, still crouched, and meandered his way further from the incoming monster. Jasper was almost across the street and down a nearby alleyway when he was suddenly swept off his feet and up into the sky. He couldn't help the startled yelp he mumbled at the action and wriggled in the strong grip holding him. He knew it wasn't the monster by the feel of the arms capturing him but being carried away to safety by one of the Titans didn't exactly appeal to him either.

Just as abruptly as he had been picked up, he was placed back on ground in a safer area with only black hair and glowing blue energy surrounding hands to mark who had carried him. Jasper recognized her as the Titan who had flown past him yesterday.

Of course, there were no feelings of gratitude. Jasper could only groan upon realizing he had absolutely no idea where he was.

* * *

**Okay I seriously swear NOT to add anything new anymore. All of these come popping out of nowhere and I just can't help it. I promise though that I'm working on The Crown Prince and The Horcrux. **

**Anyways again, just another tangent. Don't know whether it's going to be continued. **

**Background info: **

**Raven went and got married to Beast Boy (Changeling) before heading back to Africa where Beast Boy grew up and decided to help out with medicinal research there. They ended up having one son (I think you know who it is). **

**Robin went and got married to Starfire (haha. duh.) and they moved to Gotham to take over Wayne Enterprises. They ended up having two children, both daughters and approximately five years apart. Nightfire is the elder child. **

**Cyborg went and got married to...uh...I don't really know. Bumblebee or Batgirl I'm not sure lol. They ended up starting a small but renowned business concerning random tech inventions and/or fixes and having one son, Techno. **

**Aqualad (not the Young Justice one but the Teen Titans one) got married to some random girl I have yet to identify and ended up having three daughters, Aqua being the middle child. **

**Toxic is one character I know the background of but I won't tell you guys yet. **

**Yes, Jasper is angsty. I suppose it's genetic lol. **


End file.
